I’ve been in that place—deep in the dark, where hope feels like a distant memory, and every day feels like a struggle just to get through. I know what it’s like to lose your way, to feel broken, and to wonder if there’s any point in moving forward. I was there a lot in my younger years, especially before a car accident in my teens. Then came the first woman I ever truly loved; when we broke up, it shattered me. That heartbreak sent me spiralling into depression, and I started planning to end my life. It was the lowest point I’d ever known.
People often ask me for advice on how to get through hard times, and I always tell them: the most important thing you can do is get help. But let me explain why, and share what I learned—because when I was stuck, so many people tried to cheer me up. Friends would come to my dorm room, saying, “Come on, let’s go do something! Everything’s going to be okay!” They meant well, but telling someone who’s lost all hope that “it’ll get better” doesn’t help. When you’re that low, those words feel empty.
Small Steps Build Momentum—And Momentum Brings Hope
What I learned, and what I share with everyone now, is this: when you’re struggling, don’t focus on big goals or “fixing” everything at once. Focus on momentum. Because with momentum comes hope. With momentum comes motivation. With momentum comes that quiet, steady feeling that there might be a reason to face tomorrow.
Ask yourself: What are three small things I can do today?
Sometimes, that first goal is just: “I’m going to take a shower today.” Or: “I’ll walk to the library and come back home.” That’s it. That’s all you have to do. And you have to honour that struggle—honour how hard it is just to do those tiny things.
You don’t need to “crush your goals” or “be amazing” right now. You just need to win a little bit, every single day. The dark, gloomy days will still come—they won’t disappear completely, even as you learn to cope. But they will come less and less often. And when they do show up, you’ll know how to walk through them.
Honor the Struggle, Don’t Fight It
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve ever learned is to honour the struggle. So many of us hate the hard parts of life; we fight them, we try to push them away, we pretend they don’t exist. But when you stop fighting and start accepting the difficulty, something shifts. Your mind settles into the right place, and you realise: this struggle is part of my journey.
Every challenge you face, every pain you carry, is shaping you. It’s giving you strength you didn’t know you had. Right now, in this very moment, you are on a journey that allows you to grow into someone fueled by your own potential. Take risks—not reckless ones, but risks that let you see life differently, that let you look at the world through new eyes. Eyes that see opportunity instead of limitation. Eyes that let you change what you don’t like.
You get to set your own rules. Why play by someone else’s rules—rules that hold you back, that make you feel small, that don’t fit who you are? Create rules that pull you forward, that help you become the best version of yourself. Be grateful for where you are, even if it’s hard. Be grateful you get to try again. This life is yoursto shape, and every day is a chance to start over.
Success Doesn’t Equal Happiness—And That’s Okay
I’ve seen it so many times: people who seem to have everything—success, money, status—yet they are miserable. They’re stuck in routines they hate, living lives that don’t feel like their own. I’ve been there too. Even when things looked good on the outside, I was hurting deeply. Over the last few years, I’ve gone through some of the hardest times of my life—things I couldn’t control, things I didn’t speak about openly. It was incredibly tough.
But here’s the truth: life is unfair. We are all human. We all have feelings. We all face hardships. And if you’re unhappy right now—if you feel stuck, if you feel empty—go find something else. Try something new. Change your path. You don’t have to stay somewhere that makes you miserable, no matter how “good” it looks to others.
Mental Health Is Health—Let’s Talk About It
I was so happy when I saw Prince Harry speak openly about his depression. Because for so long, people have said things like: “You lost an arm or a leg—so you have a right to be sad. But why are you depressed when nothing bad happened to you?”
That’s a lie. Depression is real. It can come from trauma, yes—but it can also come from a chemical imbalance in the brain. It’s an illness, just like heart disease or diabetes. If you had heart problems and went to a cardiologist, everyone would care, everyone would ask how you’re doing, everyone would be open about it. But when the problem is with the most complex organ in your body—your brain—suddenly it’s something we don’t talk about. Suddenly people say, “Just get over it.”
That has to change. You can get better. You can heal. You can move past this. And talking about it is the first step. The more we speak about our struggles, the more comfortable we become, and the more we understand each other. You are not weak for hurting. You are human.
My Breaking Point—And Climbing Back Up
There was a time when I would lie in bed and wish I didn’t exist. I wanted to just fade away. Back then, my beliefs told me there was an afterlife—and that ending my life would only lead to more pain. I felt trapped. I had children I needed to care for, a company I was building, a relationship that was falling apart. I was under so much pressure, I was delirious, broken, completely worn down.
At the lowest point, I decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Halfway up, I got sick—first a stomach virus, then altitude sickness. I felt worse than I ever had in my life. When we reached base camp at 15,000 feet, I had to choose: turn back, or keep going to the summit.
I chose to keep going. That four-hour climb to the top changed my life. As I walked, the mountain became everything I was fighting against: my broken relationship, my old beliefs, my pain, my fear. I thought about my favourite artist, Eminem, and how he always fought back against everything that tried to break him. When I finally reached the top, I sat down and cried. I realised I could overcome anything.
When I came home, I changed everything. I sold my company. I got a divorce. I left the belief system that had trapped me. I started over—like I was 21 again—asking myself: What matters? What is true? Who do I want to be?
You Have The Power To Start Over
This is your story. Today is the day you tell it honestly. Today is the day you recognise the power and potential you’ve always had inside you.
Success isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up, every single day. It’s about communicating your pain, your hopes, your dreams. It’s about taking every day as a chance to be a little better, to try something new, to become someone you’re proud of.
Don’t wait. Don’t waste this chance. Step out of the crowd. Step into your strength. You’ve earned this opportunity. You’ve always had this potential.
If you’re hurting, reach out. Get help. Start with one small step. Build momentum. And remember: you are not alone. There is hope. And you are stronger than you know.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please know there is support available. Reach out to a trusted person, a mental health professional, or a helpline—you matter, and you deserve to feel better.
